This short equation is designed to catch anyone who reads it too quickly. The expression is 1 + 1 × 0 + 1. To solve it correctly, use the standard order of operations: multiplication comes before addition.
Start with 1 × 0, which equals 0. The expression then becomes 1 + 0 + 1. Adding from left to right gives 2.
So the correct answer is 2.
The common mistake is adding the first two 1s before doing the multiplication. That changes the intended order and leads to the wrong result. These tiny equations are popular because every number looks harmless, yet one multiplication sign can completely change the answer.
If you got 2 without a calculator, you followed the order of operations exactly as intended.
